New 2017 Ducati SuperSport
UPDATE: Read our 2017 Ducati SuperSport Preview.
As expected, Ducati will unveil next week its 2017 SuperSport at INTERMOT, the Cologne, Germany, international bike show that’s always host to new model launches. Ducati says it will unveil the SuperSport at 6 p.m. local time (noon ET) Tuesday, October 4.
Attendees at World Ducati Week 2016 in Misano this past July were given an exclusive look at the SuperSport, but were sworn to secrecy. Like always, though, an image leaked, and unofficial info began surfacing about the new SuperSport.
Ducati also released yesterday the below #SportMadeLight video, which teases the new bike and asked the question “What if sport could be lived on everyday roads?”
The bike follows the SuperSport legacy, offering a more comfortable and streetable platform than the superbike lineup, which in modernity consists of the 959 and 1299 Panigale series.
From the pictures and insider sources, the bike, dubbed Project 1312 due to being the 13th bike started in 2012, is not based on the Monocoque-framed Panigale. Rather, it arrives with a trellis frame and a single-sided swingarm.
The bike is equipped with the same powerplant as the Hypermotard 939 lineup – the 937cc, 11-degree L-twin that produces 114 horsepower and 72.9 ft/lbs. of torque, but insiders says the engine is heavily revamped for the SuperSport’s chassis.
Expect three riding modes—Sport, Touring, and Urban—and of course Bosch 9MP ABS and Ducati’s eight-level traction control (DTC). As for styling, the bodywork is similar to that of the 959 Panigale, as are the wheels.
Sources say the bike will arrive in a standard and an S version, the latter equipped with Ohlins suspension and a removable seat cowl.
The SuperSport name is nothing new to Ducati; it was first used in 1972 for some 750 GT prototypes raced by icons like Paul Smart. The name continued through 2007; the final series (1999-2007) was designed by Pierre Terblanche, who also created the controversial 999 superbike series.
Speaking of the new SuperSport, Ducati says its “a bike for those eager to ride sports-style on everyday roads. Fun, versatile and accessible, with true Ducati sports styling and zest, the SuperSport promises exciting, fun riding sensations while ensuring everyday comfort and easy handling whatever the roads are like. An innovative leap that, even before its debut, has won widespread support and aroused considerable interest; at Cologne, the SuperSport is set to steal the limelight to say the least.”
Other 2017 Ducati Releases at INTERMOT
Ducati says a new “Volcano Grey” color scheme will be available on the Multistrada 1200 S, which also receives a new airbox and engine calibration “more satisfying mid-range power deliver.”
The Monster 821 and Diavel will be available in “Dust Grey” along with red wheels and a red frame. For the Europeans, these two models are now EURO 4 compliant, following the 959 Panigale, which was the first-ever EURO 4 compliant Ducati.
The 1299 and 1299 S Panigales will also receive the latest EVO version of Ducati Traction Control (DTC) and Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), which debuted on the limited-edition (500 models) 1299 Panigale S Anniversario.
